HealthEd Webcast: Covid, Cancer Patients and Vaccination; Triple therapy, when is it appropriate, when is it not?; The Art and Science of Antipyschotic Prescribing; COVID Update and more

• Covid, Cancer Patients and Vaccination
  Prof John Boyages AM
  Breast Cancer Specialist; Radiation Oncologist, ICON Cancer Centre Wahroonga, Gosford & Revesby; Honorary Consultant, Australian Lymphoedema Education Research and Treatment (ALERT)
  
  Understanding and education can help reduce the significant negative impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the health of patients with cancer.
  From delayed diagnoses to anxiety over vaccination safety, patients with cancer are likely to have found Covid-19 and the measures taken to prevent it, detrimental to their well-being.
  As Professor John Boyages AM explains, being aware of the Covid-related issues among cancer patients allows health professionals to actively address concerns and barriers, to help these patients achieve the best possible outcome in managing their disease.
  
  
• Triple therapy – when is it appropriate, when is it not?
  Prof Hubertus Jersmann
  Respiratory and Sleep Physician; Royal Adelaide Hospital, Alice Springs Hospital, Burnside War Memorial Hospital; Professor, School of Medicine, University of Adelaide
  
  The key to optimal COPD management is tailoring treatment to the individual patient and their specific symptoms. Giving all patients triple therapy is not necessarily the way to go.

  COPD is a progressive, debilitating disease and treatment generally involves preventing exacerbations and slowing the rate of deterioration. Professor Hubertus Jersmann will outline the best approach to assessing patients with COPD to help determine who is suitable for triple therapy and importantly, who is not.

He will provide details about the risk versus benefit balance for each of the COPD therapies so GPs can make considered prescribing choices for these patients.

• The Art and Science of Antipsychotic Prescribing
  Dr Prachi Brahmbhatt
  Consultant Psychiatrist; Royal North Shore Hospital, Ryde Early Intervention Service and Acute Adult Mental Health
  
  Rates of remission and recovery after a single schizophrenic episode are good (~80%), but the rates decline with each subsequent episode. Maintaining adherence and optimizing symptom control also improves physical health outcomes and this is where GPs have a very important role. This lecture will provide a very useful, practical guide to choosing, initiating, titration, balancing effectiveness against tolerability, and switching and monitoring for adverse effects. You will find it very useful!
  
  
• COVID Update & More
  Prof Nancy Baxter
  Clinical Epidemiologist; Head of the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne